Datuk Junz Wong
KOTA KINABALU: There is no issue about Special Branch personnel attending Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) or government events but they should identify themselves.
Clearing the air on claims that Special Branch officers were barred from party or government functions, Warisan vice-president Datuk Junz Wong said the only condition was that they should identify themselves.
“We cannot have people coming to an event claiming that they are journalists. It will be misleading,” he said in a statement, here, today.
Wong said attendees had to identify themselves to the party organisers if they were police or journalists.
The state Agriculture and Food Industry Minister said there had been instances where unknown individuals attended press conferences and pretended to be reporters.
“For this reason, even if they are police officers, it would be better to make themselves known instead of acting as if they are members of the media,” he said.
Wong also denied that cases of Special Branch personnel being banned from attending press conferences conducted by Warisan leaders happened all the time since, to his knowledge, it was only on one or two occasions.
He said everybody including the Special Branch were welcomed to attend government and Warisan events.
“It is not about stopping people from coming to our events,” he said.
Wong said press conferences were specific events held by the government and party from time to time to inform the public of government plans, among others. – Bernama